My journey from cabin to cockpit: Customs first female pilot
Olanike Nafisat Balogun is a Deputy Superintendent of Customs and the first female pilot to be produced by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS). In this interview with Weekend Trust she shared her journey from enrolment to certification as a pilot. When did you join the Nigeria Customs Service and what was the motivation? I […]
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Olanike Nafisat Balogun is a Deputy Superintendent of Customs and the first female pilot to be produced by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS). In this interview with Weekend Trust she shared her journey from enrolment to certification as a pilot.
When did you join the Nigeria Customs Service and what was the motivation?
I joined the Nigeria Customs Service in 2002. I was recruited by the then Comptroller-General of Customs, Ahmed Mustapha (retd). The interesting thing is that I joined the Customs Service unconsciously because at that time, I did not know anything about Customs; all I needed was a job, and I just wanted to work as a cabin crew member.
Fortunately for me, I submitted my curriculum vitae and was called for an interview. We were about 18 and I was one of the candidates that were employed. That was how I joined Customs as a cabin crew member.
Walk us through your journey to being a certified pilot.
I started in the United States of America, Miami, Florida to be precise. I started in 2022 with introductory flight, followed by ground training. Afterwards, I did some practical and drills. Subsequently, I went for stage one training. After that stage, if your instructor is satisfied with your performance, you would be given a plane to fly alone, which is called solo flight. After my solo flight I was declared a pilot but not certified.
After that, I proceeded to stages two and three of my training. After the whole training, I was qualified for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) examination, which was both oral and written. I passed and got my licence as a certified pilot. Afterwards, I did the other ratings required.
How difficult was it to become a pilot?
Actually, it was challenging; being a pilot is not easy. You need a lot of focusing and resilience because when you lose focus you may not be able to make it. It was also challenging, having gone through the training in a foreign land.
And as a Nigerian, as well as an African lady, I love my culture. I love Nigeria a lot. Also, being in another country where I had no family, no friends, nobody to talk to was a challenge.
In fact, sometimes I would be ready for exams and while waiting for an external examiner to come from the Federal Aviation Administration, something would come up and it would be delayed. I almost ran into depression in America because I was alone. I never knew what depression was until I was in America for my pilot training. I was all alone, nobody to talk to, no friends; and I didn’t go anywhere.
But Alhamdulillah, here I am today. I had to overcome a lot of challenges to achieve what I went there for.
How do you balance your career as a pilot and other aspects of life?
Being a pilot does not really affect my life. I don’t have much of a social life per say. I am dedicated to my job; and as you know, it is a career job. It has been what I wanted and I have gotten it. So, I dedicate a lot of my time to it. My work comes first; it is my priority, any other thing can wait.
How do you feel becoming the first female pilot produced by Customs?
I feel excited. I am happy and I feel it is a call for more responsibility and action. But overall, I feel fulfilled. I never thought I would be the first female pilot to come out of the Customs Service. All I needed was just to be a pilot. So fortunately for me, I became the first female pilot of the Nigerian Customs Service. It means a lot to me.
Who sponsored your training?
The Customs Service has been the number one supporter. They have been the main pillar behind this achievement. I am glad to tell you that they sponsored all my training from start to finish and ensured that I achieved my dream. So the Customs Service is behind the successful story of the first female pilot.
With your achievement, how do you think gender inclusion can be achieved?
Regardless of what men would say, women are committed in anything they do. They are strong and dedicated. Whatever they do, they put everything into making it 100 per cent. As such, I think organisations can provide a platform for growth, especially for female employees who have the potential to do great things. They can also provide financial assistance for women. In my own case, it cost a lot to be a pilot, but the Customs shouldered the responsibility. Other organisations can follow suit
Would you like to see more female pilots coming from the Customs Service?
I would be so happy if we could have more female pilots because all the pilots we have now are males; I am the only female. So it will be a thing of joy, at least to have a partner of the same gender
What is your operational schedule as a pilot?
I do not have a flight schedule because I fly with the federal government. We mainly patrol Nigerian borders to see activities going on there. They can call me any day, any time. I am here to serve. My operational base is the Nigeria Customs Air Wing at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport
Do you have women that are your role models in Nigeria?
I have been my inspiration because at every time I try to inspire myself and not to give up on any situation. However, women like Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and the late Dr Dora Akunyili are women that have motivated me right from time because of the barriers they have broken to be at the top.
You serve as a role model for many young girls in Nigeria who are hoping to be at the top of their careers. What are your plans to inspire them?
Yes, I believe I am a role model now because a lot of young women have been walking to me to ask questions on how I made it to the top. Even in the Nigeria Customs Service, many women come to me for advice. My inspiration to them is first and foremost to set a goal and know what they want. When you set a goal, believe in yourself that you can do it, and when you believe in yourself, you can do it. Also, you have to believe in God because you can’t do it without him. Secondly, you have to be persistent because challenges will come along the way, as well as delays, but you should not give up.
From my personal experience, I had already set a dream to be a pilot. Right from when I was in secondary school, when I saw an aircraft flying, I would say to myself that one day I would be the one flying it. So, I set my dream in motion. I wanted to go for pilot training, and when I asked, they said it was like N7 million then, but my parents didn’t have such money. Therefore, the alternative was to go to an aviation school, which I did and got certified as a flight attendant and cabin crew member. I didn’t stop at that; I still went to the Ahmadu Bello University to get an advanced diploma in Public Administration, as well as bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the same discipline.
Even while waiting to be a pilot, I kept pushing and got an advanced diploma in Etiquette and Reservation. Thus, my inspirational words to young women will be to keep developing yourself and never give up.
What are your future plans?
As a pilot, training and retraining is critical; therefore, I intend to keep developing myself and learn modern ways of piloting. I also intend to establish a non-governmental organisation to mentor young women and encourage them to strive to the highest point of their careers. I will do that by partnering with the federal and state governments to come in and support young women in achieving their dreams.